Labeling-machine.



H. E. BROWN.

LABELING: MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1911.

1,032,942, Patented July 9, 1912.

4 SHEETS-$11331 l.

W/T/VE I INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOORAFH c0., WASHINGTON, D. C.

H. E. BROWN.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 110V. 3, 1911.

1,032,042. Patented July 9, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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XIIIIIIII ILL:

INVE/V TOR H. E. BROWN.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1911.

1,032,042. Patented July 9, 1912.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

l 1' I WITNESSES: /J l/VVE/VTOR I XZVgZZFOZU/Z,

' 2% TTOR/VEY COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH COUWKSHINOTON, D.

our earn Ar ost ich HARVEY E. BROWN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGN'OR0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN F. BROEMMELSIEK AND ONE-HALF TO EDGAR W.BBOEMMELSIEK, BOTH OF ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI.

LABELING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, HARVEY E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, Missouri have invented a certain new and usefulLabeling-Machine, of which the following is such a full, clear, andexact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thls specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for applying labels to boxes and thelike, and its object is to provide a machine for this purpose which willoperate rapidly and efliciently and will apply labels in a uniform andexact manner not achieved either by hand labor or by any machine ofwhich 1 am aware.

It is a further object of my invention to provide mechanism wherebyfirst only one end of the label is attached to a box, and then the wholelabel afterward brought into intimate contact with the box by a rollingpressure and thus avoid wrinkles or irregularities due to air bubblesunder the label.

Another object of my invention is to provide a feed mechanism for thelabel carrier which automatically maintains the proper pressure forapplying the labels as the supply of labels in the label magazinediminishes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing detailed description thereof, taken in connec tion with theaccompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a machineembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation; Fig. 3 is a top planview; Fig. 4 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, takentransversely of the machine along the line y-y in Fig. 1 and showing thegum applying means; Fig. 5 is a view taken along the line 0aa2 in Fig. 6and shows a portion of the label feeding mechanism; Fig. 6 is a verticallongitudinal section through the center of the machine, and Fig. 7 is adetail of the gumming roller actuating mechanism.

Like reference numerals designate like parts in the drawings.

1 and 2 are the side frames of the machine which support all the partsat convenient working height. The main driving shaft 3 Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1912.

Serial No. 658,317.

Carried on the ends of rods 14 and 15 is a cross-head or frame 16 towhich is adjustably attached the pusher or ram 17 which is adapted topush the boxes forward from a table 18 and into operative relation withthe gumming mechanism and label applying mechanism. The sliding rod 14is provided. with gear teeth with which the gear wheel 19 meshes. Justback of gear 19 is a gear 20 011 the same shaft and connected with gear19 through a pawl and single toothed ratchet (see Fig. 7) in such amanner that gear 20 is actuated only during the forward stroke of therod 14. In gum font 23 are gum rollers 21 and 22 driven by gears 24 and25, gear 24 meshing with gear 20 and gear 25 with gear 24.

26 is a gum applying roller driven by means of gear 27 which meshes withgear ,25. This roller 26 is provided with ablanket having a raised part28 of a size and shape corresponding with the size and shape of thelabels and adjusted to take gum from the surface of roller 21. The gearsare so proportioned that the gum carrying surface of roller 26 will bedriven at a peripheral speed equal to the speed with which the boxes areadvanced by the pusher arm 17.

As best shown in Fig. 4, a channel through which the boxes to be labeledare conveyed and supported is provided by plates 29 and 30 carried ontop of the frame of the machine. These plates each have a box supportingledge 31. Plate 29 carries uprights 32 and 83 by means of which coverplate 34 is adjustably supported. This plate 34 holds the box inposition against the pressure of the rollers and label attachingmechanism beneath.

Supported between the side frames of the machine is a plate 35 whichcarries the gum font 23 and the label magazine 36. 37 is a feed rodthreaded at its lower end and carrying at its upper end a labelsupporting plate 38. The stack of labels 39 is held position by astandard 40 secured to the base of the label magazine. and adjustable inaslot therein. This standard 40 is provlded with a projection at itsupper end: to. prevent any tipping of the labels when the ends the feedrod and between this collar and;

the ratchet wheel is a coil spring 43. Attached to the carriage is a bar44 having a cam plates L5 by means'of which the collar 42, and, throughits connections therewith, feed rod 37 is elevated when the carriageapproaches its rearward position, and one end of the uppermost label isthereby brought into engagement with a box 46 as shown in Fig. 6.Slidably supported in brackets 47 and 48 carried by the plate 35 is arod 49 provided with lugs 50 and 51 which are engaged at intervalsduring'the movements of the carriage by the projection 52 carried bysaid carriage. This bar 49 carries a pawl 53 which engages with theratchet wheel and rotates the same when the bar 49 is carried backwardby the carriage, thus eitherraising the rod 37 or increasing thecompression of spring 43.

When labels of only a given thickness are to be applied, the feed can beadjusted to equal the thickness of a label. It will be noted howeverthat the ratchet wheel 41 is below the line of travel of the pawl exceptwhen lifted with the feed rod to the label applying position by the camface 45 of bar 44. If the thickness of a label is less than the movementof the ratchet wheel downward on the feed rod caused by a single strokeof the pawl the difference will be accommodated by the spring 43 and thecam face 45 will not lift the feed rod high enough to bring the ratchetwheel into the line of travel with the pawl until the decrease in theheight of the label stack will permit the feed rod to travel upwardfarther. It will thus be seen that the feeding device is automatic andmaintains practically constant pressure between the labels and theboxes, although the stack of labels is decreasing constantly in heightand although labels of varying thicknesses are used.

54 is a roller suitably supported in position to engage with the boxesafter they have passed out of engagement with the label carrier and tobring the entire label into engagement with the box.

In the operation of the machine, boxes are placed by hand on the table18 and brought against a suitable gage positioning them in front of thechannel or chute formed by the plates 29 and 30. The forward movementof'thc carriage causes the pusher arm to adgum-carrylng a gummed imprinton the box of thesame size and. shape as the label. The forward strokeof the pusher arm carries the box to a. position in the chute one boxlength removed from operative relation with the label carrler,

The succeeding box pushes the first into the position shown in Fig. 6,and when the carriage approaches therearward limit of its travel, cambar 44- moves the label carrier into the position shown in this figureand causes one end of the topmost label to come into contact with thegummed imprint on the box and. adhere thereto. the first past the labelroller 54 which com pletes the operation of applying the label and thebox isthen discharged, from the chute. When the label supply isexhausted, the feed rod 37 is lowered by hand by turning the ratchetwheel and a new supply of labels inserted in the magazine. The machinecan be-adjusted for different sizes of boxes by adjusting plates 30' and34.

It will be apparent that modifications in the form and arrangement ofparts and the details of construction are possible without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. I do not therefore desire to be limitedto de tails except such as are included in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine, the combination with receptacle carryingmeans, of a carriage, and a label carrier mounted independently of thecarriage, said carriage being adapted to reciprocate the label carrierand advance receptacles.

2. In a labeling machine the combination with a receptacle chute, of areciprocating label-carrier, a carriage and gum applying means mountedindependently of the carriage, said carriage being adapted to actuatethe label-carrier and the gum-applying means and to advance receptaclesthrough the chute.

3. The combination with receptacle supporting means, of. alabel-carrier, gum-applying mechanism, and a reciprocating member, saidreciprocating member being provided with means for elevating thelabel-carrier, advancing receptacles, actuating the gum-apply1ngmechanlsm and varylng' the limit of travel of the label carrier.

4. In a labeling machine thecombinat-ion of a chute for receptacles, acarriage, independently mounted, reciprocating label-applying means, anda cam carried by said carriage for actuating the label-applying means.

5. A labeling machine comprising'a chute for receptacles, reciprocatinglabel applying means, gum applying means, and a recipro- The third boxintroduced pushes eating carriage adapted to actuate the label applyingmeans and the gum applying means, said label applying means beingmounted independently of the carriage.

6. The combination with a support for receptacles, of a label-applyingmeans, a reciprocating carriage, and connections whereby said carriagewill impart reciprocating motion to the label-applying means, and varythe limit of travel of said means.

7. The combination with receptacle-carryof a label-carrier, gum-applyinga carriage for reciprocating the label-carrier, and actuating thegum-applying mechanism, and means actuated by the carriage for varyingthe limit of travel of the label-carrier.

8. The combination with receptacle supporting means, of a label-carrier,a carriage for actuating the labelcarrier and advancing receptacles,means actuated by the carriage for varying the limit of travel of saidlabel-carrier, and automatic means for rendering said last named meansineffective.

9. A labeling machine comprising receptacle carrying mechanism, of areciprocating label carrier cooperating with the receptacle carryingmeans and having a supporting member, a ratchet wheel in threadedengagement with said member, a carriage, and means carried by sa1dcarnage for actuating said ratchet wheel.

10. In combination, receptacle carrying lng means, mechanism,

means, a label carrier cooperating with the receptacle carrying meansand having a supporting member carrying a ratchet wheel, a carriage, anda sleeve resiliently connected with said ratchet wheel and actuated bysaid carriage to move the label carrier.

11. A labeling machine comprising receptacle carrying means, a labelcarrier cooperating with the receptacle carrying means and having asupporting member carrying a ratchet wheel in threaded engagementtherewith, a sleeve resiliently connected with the ratchet wheel, acarriage, and means carried by the carriage for actuating said sleeve toraise the label carrier.

12. In combination, receptacle-carrying means, a label-carriercooperating with the receptacle carrying means and having a supportingmember carrying a ratchet wheel, a carriage, a sleeve loosely connectedwith said ratchet wheel and actuated by said carriage to move the labelcarrier, and means operated by the carriage for rotating the ratchetwheel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal inthe presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY E. BROWN. [1,. s]

Witnesses:

PERRY Posr TAYLOR, B. L. CROWLEY.

Copies of this patent Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

